TITLE: GRP bylaw Reformation SPONSORS: Kate Hamel, Elizabeth Humphrey VETTING COMMITTEES: Procedures Committee FLOOR MANAGER: Kate Hamel. | [email protected] | 413-270-1821 | SHEPHERD: Kate Hamel SUMMARY: This proposal seeks to address and fix underlying issues with the structure and procedures outlined in the GRP bylaws BACKGROUND: As it currently stands, the GRP lacks the administrative cohesion required to make substantial impact on the political landscape of Massachusetts. This proposal is the first in a group of future proposals that has been created to address the dysfunctional administrative procedures currently in place. This proposal modifies many systemic issues within the party structure through amendments to the bylaws and also reorganizes the bylaws to be more legible to members of the party. Some of the issues addressed include the diversity seating process, implementation of caucuses, gender diversity requirements, StateCom overreach, and an official implementation of the recall process. TEXT OF PROPOSAL: Green-Rainbow Party Bylaws Modified January 26, 2019 1.Name and Definition 3 Name Change 3 2. Ten Key Values 3 3.Purpose 4 4. Membership Rights, Responsibilities, Removal 4 Mediation Committee 4 5. Meetings and Decision Making 5 Minutes 5 Revoking speaking privileges 5 Closing Meetings 6 6. Conventions 6 State Convention 6 Convention Committee 6 Elections 7 Regional Convention 7 7. Green-Rainbow Party Chapters 7 Chapter Types 7 Student Chapter 7 Regional Chapter 7 Local Chapter 7 Other 7 Chapter Certification Procedure 8 Certification Retention 8 Communication Requirements 8 Membership requirements 8 Conduct Requirements 8 Autonomy Rights 8 Chapter Voting Rights 8 Chapter Decertification 9 Defined Regional Chapter Regions 9 8. Identity Caucuses 9 9. State Committee 10 Seating Requirements 10 Participation 10 Be a Resident 11 Meetings 11 Regular Meetings 11 Emergency & Special Meetings 11 Post-election meeting 12 Representatives 12 Recall 12 Resignation 13 Senatorial District Representatives 13 Elections 13 Term Lengths 13 Gender Diversity Requirements 13 Loss of party status 13 Proportional Representatives 14 Nomination Requirements 14 Available Seats 14 Elections 14 Term Lengths 14 Gender Diversity Requirements 15 Caucus Representatives 15 Available Seats 15 Elections 15 Term Lengths 16 Working Committees 16 10. Administrative Committee 16 Officers 16 Election 16 Primary Chair 17 Chapter Representatives 17 Recall 17 Attendance Requirements 18 Vacancies 18 Officer Duties 18 Co-Chairs 18 Treasurer 18 Secretary 18 Committee Directors 19 Membership Committee Director 19 Fundraising Committee Director 19 Communications Committee Director 19 11. Working Committees 20 12. Political Practices 20 13. Candidate Nomination and Endorsement Policy 21 Seeking Nomination/Endorsement 21 14. Legal Requirements for Consideration as a Political Party 22 15. Other GPUS Organizations 22 Representatives 22 Duties 23 Term Lengths & Limits 23 Alternates 23 Gender Requirements 23 Recall 24 Interim Delegates 24 16. Amending the Bylaws 24 State Convention Amendments 24 State Committee Amendments 24 17. Execution of Papers 24 18. Indemnification of Members, Directors, Officers, Employees and Other Agents 25 19. Corporate Records 25 20. Corporate Powers 25 21. Consensus Seeking Process 27 Time Extensions 27 Proposal Presentation 27 Proposal Discussion 27 Call for Consensus 28 Presentation and Amendments 28 Second Call for Consensus 28 Vote (No consensus) 28 Addendum A: Additional Green-Rainbow Party documents and Procedures 29 State Convention Rules & Procedures: Click here 29 State Committee Standing Rules: Click here 29 Addendum B: Regions to Elect State Committee Proportional Representatives 30 Green-Rainbow Party Bylaws Modifications History 30 1.Name and Definition 1.1. The Green-Rainbow Party is an autonomous independent political party sharing kinship with other Green Parties and Green organizations in the USA, through our common adherence to the Ten Key Values (see Sections 2 and 14.2). The Green-Rainbow Party also shares common goals and values with other Green Parties and Green political organizations around the world. 1.2. The Green-Rainbow Party will take all available and necessary steps to insure and protect the integrity of the Green Party and Green-Rainbow Party names. Name Change 1.3. The Green-Rainbow Party may change its official party name by taking all of the following steps. 1.3.1. A resolution proposing a party name change is agreed upon by a two-thirds majority of a State Convention. 1.3.2. Representatives of the party, as designated by the state committee, file a request with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to officially recognize this new name as the official name of the party. 1.3.3. This name change is approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not impact the legal and ballot status of the party, the registration status of any party members, and the ballot status of any candidates of the party for office in Massachusetts. 1.3.4. If conditions 1.3.1, 1.3.2, and 1.3.3 are not met, the name change will not take effect. 1.3.5. If a party name change does take full legal effect, the Bylaws of the party shall be immediately modified, replacing references to the old state party name with references to the new state party name. Bylaws references to the national Green Party will not be altered. The website and official literature of the party shall also be modified to reflect this new name within a reasonable amount of time. 2. Ten Key Values The Green-Rainbow Party subscribes to the Ten Key Values of the Green Party of the U.S., which are: ● Ecological Wisdom ● Social Justice ● Grassroots Democracy ● Nonviolence ● Decentralization ● Community-Based Economics ● Feminism ● Respect for Diversity ● Personal and Global Responsibility ● Future Focus / Sustainability 3.Purpose The purpose of the Green-Rainbow Party shall be to: ● Promote throughout Massachusetts the Ten Key Values of the Greens; ● Encourage the development of Green-Rainbow Party chapters; ● Serve as a networking structure so that Green-Rainbows in Massachusetts can better communicate, share ideas and experiences, and provide mutual support and fellowship; ● Nominate Green-Rainbow candidates for elected office and occasionally endorse unenrolled (known as independent) candidates, and support these candidates with contributions of money and labor; ● Promote unity, inclusion, and power-sharing in the broader movement. 4. Membership Rights, Responsibilities, Removal 4.1. Membership in the Green-Rainbow Party is open to all residents of Massachusetts, regardless of age, who are registered as a Green-Rainbow Party (J designation) voter in Massachusetts 4.2 Members of the Green-Rainbow Party must adhere to the following standards: Uphold the Ten Key Values Follow the Bylaws and Adhere to the structure of the Green-Rainbow Party, Be honest, kind, and forthright in all dealings Be scrupulous in the handling of Green-Rainbow Party and/or GRP chapter funds. 4.3. Members can participate in the decision-making process of the Green-Rainbow Party in the following manner: ● Help form and participate in Green-Rainbow Party chapters; ● Vote at or be elected as a delegate to the conventions; ● Be elected or appointed as a representative to the state committee; ● Be elected as a member of the administrative committee; ● Participate in all Green-Rainbow Party primaries within the confines of state law. Mediation Committee 4.4. A mediation committee will be formed to handle charges of violation of the above membership standards (see 4.2). Such charges may be made by any member or members. Such charges must be forwarded to the chair of the mediation committee. 4.4.1 In the event that the state committee has not formed a mediation committee, the co-chairs of AdCom shall act as the mediation committee. 4.4.2 The mediation committee shall appoint a three person fact-finding committee, composed of: ● one person chosen by the mediation committee; ● one person chosen by the accused; ● a third person chosen by mutual agreement of the first two fact-finding members. 4.4.3 The fact finding committee will investigate and report back to the mediation committee within 60 days regarding the extent of truth of the charges. 4.4.4 After completing the report, the fact-finding committee will meet with the accused and the accuser to see if a mutually agreeable resolution can be found. 4.4.5 If the situation cannot be resolved at this stage, then the dispute will be referred back to the mediation committee. 4.4.6 If the dispute cannot be resolved there, then the mediation committee will bring the matter, including the written report of the fact-finding committee, to the next state committee meeting of the Green- Rainbow Party. 4.4.6.1 The portion of the Green-Rainbow Party meeting considering the charges should be closed to observers. 4.4.6.2 A two-thirds vote is required to withdraw the membership of the accused where the burden of proof is on those making the charges. 4.4.6.3 However the process ends, the mediation committee must file a brief minute giving the names of the accused and the accuser, and stating what, if any, resolution was reached. 5. Meetings and Decision Making 5.1. This article defines the general decision-making process for all levels of the Green-Rainbow Party including: state and regional conventions state committee administrative committee working committees These general rules may be adjusted by the Bylaws to conform to characteristics of each level of the party. 5.2. Decisions shall be made through the consensus seeking process defined in the document Addendum A (Consensus Seeking Process), attached to these Bylaws. 5.3. Facilitators shall be used for all meetings who shall implement a technique for assuring equal opportunity for all voices to be heard. 5.4. Decisions of Green-Rainbow chapters affect only that chapter, and do not impact the decision making process of other Green-Rainbow chapters, AdCom, StateCom, or any other decision making body within the Green-Rainbow party. Minutes 5.5. Minutes must be recorded at all of the following: Conventions State Committee meetings Administrative Committee meetings Working Committee Meetings 5.5.1 Minutes shall be made available to all members no later than two weeks after the date of the meeting. 5.5.2 Except for conventions, minutes shall be read, amended and approved as necessary at the next following Green-Rainbow Party meeting of that committee. Revoking speaking privileges 5.6. Participants in meetings of the Green-Rainbow Party who violate the membership standards (see 4.2) may be refused speaking time for the rest of the meeting by a 75% vote of the other attending members of the meeting. Closing Meetings 5.7. All Green-Rainbow Party meetings are open and may only be closed to non-members on 75% vote in personnel or criminal matters or if required by law. 6. Conventions 6.1. Conventions serve to ensure that the voice of grassroots Green-Rainbows are heard. Within the area the convention covers, the purpose of a convention shall be one of the following depending on the type of convention occurring: ● Have members meet and share ideas; ● Set policy; ● Change the party platform or endorse positions; ● Nominate presidential candidates. ● Elect delegates to national committee ● Elect Representatives for State Committee ● Amend the bylaws 6.2. All members in the area covered by the convention are entitled to participate. State Convention 6.3. The Green-Rainbow Party shall hold at least one state convention every year no sooner than February 1 and no later than the last day to file certificates of nomination with the secretary of state. 6.3.1 The state committee may set a date later than the above filing day if the decision is by consensus or, in the absence of consensus, by a 75% vote of the state committee. 6.3.1.1 In a year when there are no state or federal elections being held, the state committee may set a date no later than the end of November, using the standard decision making process. 6.3.2. The state committee shall notify members and Green-Rainbow chapters of the date of the state convention and the number of delegates each city and town may elect three months prior to the date the state convention is to occur. 6.3.3. A state convention can be convened in either of the following ways: ● by a 2/3 vote of the state committee; ● by a 2/3 vote of the recognized Green-Rainbow chapters. 6.3.4. The co-chairs and secretary of the administrative committee shall be the co-chairs and secretary of the convention, until and unless the convention committee or the convention chooses other officers. Convention Committee 6.3.3. The State Committee will delegate the responsibility of establishing and running the state convention to a working committee known as the convention committee, and the State Committee will be responsible for ensuring the convention committee has enough members to do its job. Convention Committee has the following responsibilities, including but not limited to: ● Creating an outline for the state convention's agenda ● Establishing a list of nominees up for election ● Acquiring facilitators for the convention ● the promulgation of regulations regarding how proposals are to be submitted for consideration at the state convention ● Setting deadlines for proposal submissions, excluding floor proposals ● handling the credentialing of delegates ● drafting any additional rules for the state convention. 6.3.3.1 The state committee shall have final approval of all matters relating to the conduct of the state convention provided such matters do not contradict these Bylaws and are acceptable to the convention. Elections 6.3.5 The officers of AdCom, excluding limitations given in 10.2.1, will be voted on at a state convention by the process outlined in 10.2.1 Regional Convention 6.4 Regional conventions and how often they are held is solely up to the discretion of the regions holding them, and StateCom shall not regulate when or how these conventions are to occur, with the only exception being bylaw 9.4.7.2.1 which describes the election of new delegates after the presidential primaries 6.4.1 The Regional Chapters are responsible for planning out and running regional conventions for the region they are located in as defined within Addendum B 7. Green-Rainbow Party Chapters Chapter Types 7.2 “Green-Rainbow Party chapter” is an umbrella term for all chapters which consist of three or more Green-Rainbow members meeting regularly and affiliated with the Green-Rainbow Party. Student Chapter 7.2.1 “Student chapter” is a chapter operated by Green-Rainbow students within specific student bodies. Regional Chapter 7.2.2 “Regional chapter” is a chapter operated by Green-Rainbow members that live within the regions defined 7.9 Local Chapter 7.2.3 “Local chapter” is a chapter operated by Green-Rainbow members in a city, town, or neighborhood. Other 7.2.4. Chapters may, if they so choose, operate as one of the following: state-recognized Political Action Committee (PAC) People’s Committee 527 organization Town, City, or Ward Committee as defined by Massachusetts General Laws 7.3. Regional, student, and local chapters may exist in overlapping geographical regions. Chapter Certification Procedure 7.4. Any Green-Rainbow Party members can seek certification as a GRP chapter from the Green-Rainbow Party by submitting to the Party Secretary: • Minutes of the founding meeting. • Contact information of any officers and liaisons. • Party chapter structure or Bylaws. 7.4.1 The Party Secretary shall submit to the Administrative Committee for approval the request for certification. Certification Retention 7.5. Each GRP chapter must: Communication Requirements 7.5.1 Report their activities to at-least one regular state committee meeting per year. 7.5.2 Notify the GRP Secretary of any changes in officers, liaisons, Bylaws or structure. 7.5.3 Consult with the GRP Treasurer when dispensing funds for political work. Membership requirements 7.5.4 Continue to have at least three members meet regularly Conduct Requirements 7.5.5 abide by the Massachusetts and Federal elections laws, and must not undermine the purpose of the Green-Rainbow Party as stated in Section 3 and 4.2 of the Green-Rainbow Party Bylaws. Autonomy Rights 7.6 So long as the criteria set forth in 7.5 is met, the Green-Rainbow Party cannot interfere with a chapter's internal affairs or decision making process Chapter Voting Rights 7.7. Each Green-Rainbow Party chapter will have one vote when voting on matters such as: Calling a state convention (see 6.6) Overriding a state committee Bylaw change or decision (see 9.8) Calling a state committee meeting (see 9.9). 7.7.1 It is recommended a GRP chapter abstain if its vote does not reflect a consensus or two thirds vote of its members. Chapter Decertification 7.8. In the event that a chapter does not abide by all requirements set out in 7.5, The administrative committee may recommend, after reasonable efforts have been made to resolve the issue, that the state committee decertify a Green-Rainbow Party chapter 7.8.1. In the event of a recommendation by the administrative committee to decertify a Green-Rainbow Party chapter, the state committee may disaffiliate a GRP chapter by first voting to post a public notice to members giving the reasons for disaffiliation. 7.8.1.1 The notice must include a statement by the affected GRP chapter unless the chapter chooses not to provide such a statement. 7.8.2 At the next state committee meeting following the vote to post a public notice for disaffiliation, the state committee shall vote on whether to disaffiliate the chapter. 7.8.2.1 If a vote to disaffiliate passes by a majority vote, the Green-Rainbow Party chapter will be disaffiliated from the Green-Rainbow Party, and will no longer be considered in the Green-Rainbow Party decision-making process, or allowed to represent themselves as part of the Green-Rainbow Party structure. Defined Regional Chapter Regions 7.9. The following five regions are defined for the purposes of creating regional chapters: ● Western Massachusetts is defined as Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties; ● Central Massachusetts is defined as Worcester county; ● North Shore Massachusetts is defined as Essex and Middlesex counties; ● Metro Boston Massachusetts is defined as Suffolk and Norfolk counties; ● South Shore/Cape Massachusetts is defined as Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. 8. Identity Caucuses 8.1. An identity caucus is a mechanism within the Green-Rainbow Party that represents a group of people unified by a shared identity or sociopolitical interest. By being part of an identity caucus, individuals are given the power to speak on behalf of the group they represent within the Green-Rainbow Party 8.2 A Green-Rainbow party member may freely join any number of identity caucuses consistent with their own identity or sociopolitical interest 8.3 Each identity caucus will get a seat on AdCom to represent them (See 9.2) 8.4 Each identity caucus will get representative seats on StateCom (See 8.5.3) 8.5 In order to become and remain an official entity within the GRP, an identity caucus must go through the same certification procedures that chapters do as outlined in 7.4. An identity caucus must also meet the same requirement as chapters for retaining their certification status as outlined in 7.5 8.6 If a Green-Rainbow party member is believed to join an identity caucus with malicious intent, such as, but not limited to, knowingly joining an identity caucus they do not identify with as a means of sabotage, AdCom may be petitioned to investigate whether there was truly any malicious intent and resolve it based on the processes outlined in 4.3. This process can be initiated in the following ways: By request of the AdCom co-chair representing the caucus in question By a petition consisting of ⅔ of the membership for the caucus in question 9. State Committee 9.1. The state committee will serve as the representative legislature of the Green-Rainbow Party. It shall have general responsibility for the affairs of the Green-Rainbow Party between state conventions. This responsibility shall include: ● Maintaining regular communication with and provide training, information, and other services to Green-Rainbow chapters; ● Formulating and disseminating statements of Party policy and platform; ● Coordinating and conducting the Party’s state campaigns; ● Raising and disbursing monies needed for the successful operation of the Green-Rainbow Party and its chapters; ● Overseeing the work and decisions of the administrative committee; ● Finding candidates to be nominees for statewide and congressional offices; ● Bring expressed opinions and concerns of their regional membership to the decision making of the state committee; ● Expand the number and membership of Green-Rainbow chapters in their state senatorial district or region; ● Amending the Bylaws. (See Section 15.) Seating Requirements 9.2. In order to maintain a position on State Committee an individual must meet the following requirements: 9.2.1 Refrain from publicly criticizing party nominees, though they are not required to endorse nominees either Participation 9.2.3 Actively participate in the business of the state committee, including attendance at meetings; 9.2.3.1. State committee representatives who have missed three (3) consecutive state committee meetings, in the absence of a compelling personal reason which has been communicated to the state committee, shall be automatically suspended. 9.2.3.1.1. The party secretary will notify each affected chapter in the district or region, as soon as possible, of the suspension 9.2.3.1.2. State committee representatives who have been automatically suspended for lack of attendance shall be temporarily considered Alternate Delegates after the third missed meeting up until the next state committee meeting, at which point the state committee has the option to formally remove them, assuming the representative does not attend the meeting and thereby automatically reinstates themself. 9.2.4 Serve on either the administrative committee, the National Committee, or a working committee, unless running as a candidate or chairing a GRP chapter. Work on a subcommittee or task force by a state committee representative counts towards the working committee requirement. Be a Resident 9.2.5 Live within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 9.2.5.1. State committee representatives who are no longer legal residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be automatically suspended. 9.2.5.1.1. The party secretary will notify each affected chapter in the district or region, as soon as possible, of the suspension Meetings 9.3. The state committee shall meet at least four times a year. 9.3.1. The first act at any state committee meeting shall be to appoint any and all appointed representatives elected by PR regions and caucuses that have yet to be appointed Regular Meetings 9.3.2. The following ways may be used to establish a meeting: ● by a written or proxy vote or a petition of 1/3 of the state committee representatives; ● by at least 2 Officers of the Party, including Co-chair, Treasurer or Secretary; ● by a simple majority of Statecom representatives at an assembled Statecom meeting; Emergency & Special Meetings 9.3.3. An emergency or special state committee meeting may be called: ● by all methods established in 9.3.2 ● by a petition or vote of 1/3 of the recognized state Green-Rainbow chapters; ● by a simple majority of Adcom reps on a teleconference or at a face-to-face meeting. 9.3.3.1 Emergency or special state committee meetings would not count towards the limit on the number of state committee meetings that representatives must attend to remain in good standing. 9.3.3.2 Emergency or Special state committee meetings do not count towards the 4 annual meetings required 9.3.3.3 State committee representatives must be notified at least 5 days before special meetings, via email, text or by telephone. Such meetings shall also be announced on the appropriate Green-Rainbow Party website and social media. 9.3.3.4. If the purpose of the special State Committee meeting is to change a bylaw or to change any part of our Party Agenda, the notice period shall be 10 days. 9.3.3.5. The date, time, agenda, and location of a meeting must be established by the people calling for the meeting, and must be included in the announcement for the meeting Post-election meeting 9.3.4. All elected representatives (see 9.4.6.1 and 9.4.6.2) shall hold a meeting within 10 days of their election, as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1. The only actions that may and must take place in the following order by the newly elected state committee representatives for the Green-Rainbow Party elected at that primary election, are to: A. appoint the new Secretary of the party (see 10.2.1) B. appoint the new Treasurer of the party (see 10.2.1) C. appoint the new Primary Chair of the party (see 10.2.1.3) E. Appoint all newly elected proportional representatives (see 9.4.7.2) F. Appoint all newly elected caucus representatives (see 9.4.6.3) G. Establish a date and time for the next regular spring state committee meeting H. adjourn the meeting 9.3.4.1 In the event that the Green-Rainbow Party becomes a party designation and therefore do not have any senatorial district representatives, the current AdCom co-chairs, the current party Treasurer, and the current party Secretary will be given the role of accomplishing the tasks set out in 9.3.4 Representatives 9.4. The state committee will consist of three groups of representatives: ● Senatorial Representatives, who represent the senatorial districts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ● Proportional Representatives, who represent the regions defined in addendum B. ● Caucus Representatives, who represent the identity caucuses present within the Green-Rainbow party 9.4.1 In all cases, state committee representatives must be members of the Green-Rainbow Party (see Section 4.1) 9.4.2. Although these Bylaws describe several methods of “electing” state committee representatives, all representatives other than those elected according to (9.4.6.2) of this document are to be legally considered “appointed” seats in terms of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1 Recall 9.4.4. State committee representatives may be recalled through the following methods: with a 2/3 vote of the state committee. With a ⅔ vote of all active members present at a state convention 9.4.4.1 Proportional Representatives may be recalled by ⅔ vote of the active members of the region they are representing at a regional convention 9.4.4.2 Caucus Representatives may be recalled through whatever mechanism they decide to implement in their own bylaws 9.4.4.3 The individual being removed from the state committee shall not be allowed to vote on their removal. 9.4.4.4 Senatorial District Representatives cannot be recalled due to the nature of their election Resignation 9.4.5. An individual may resign from the state committee by submitting a letter of resignation to the co-chairs of the Green-Rainbow Party and notifying all Green-Rainbow chapters in their state senatorial district or region in writing. Senatorial District Representatives 9.4.6. Every senatorial district within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will have 2 elected seats Elections 9.4.6.1 All Green-Rainbow party members from each Senatorial district will vote for their elected representatives of that district at the presidential primaries with a plurality vote, as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1 Term Lengths 9.4.6.2 The terms of all representatives elected at the presidential primaries shall begin on the 30th day following their election and end four years later on the 30th day following the presidential primary to be held that year as described in Massachusetts General Laws 52 section 1. Gender Diversity Requirements 9.4.6.3 Out of the two elected senatorial seats reserved for each senatorial district, 1 seat must be reserved for a woman and 1 seat must be reserved for a man as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1 Loss of party status 9.4.6.4 In the event that the Green-Rainbow Party becomes a party designation and are not able to hold a presidential primary, there will be no senatorial representatives until party status is regained and a presidential primary can be held Proportional Representatives 9.4.7. A number of appointed state committee seats to be known as proportional representation seats (PR seats), shall be created and apportioned to specific regions (see Addendum B for definition of regions). Nomination Requirements 9.4.7.1 PR Representatives must be nominated by at least two other party members. Available Seats 9.4.7.2 The number of the total available PR seats is equal to 25% of the total number of active members within the Green-Rainbow party, or the number of senatorial district representative seats, whichever is smaller. 9.4.7.2.1 The amount of seats that actually exist can be more than 25% of the number of active members in the case of rounding as described in 9.4.7.2.2 but cannot exceed the number of senatorial district representative seats. 9.4.7.2.2 The amount of the total representative seats available that each region gets is equal to the percentage of all active GRP members that live in that region rounded up, such that, for example, if there were 100 active GRP members, and a region had 26% of those active members, the total amount of seats available would be 25 and the region would get 26% of that amount, which is 6.5. Rounded up that means the region gets 7 seats total. 9.4.7.2.3 Each region gets a minimum of 3 representative seats regardless of other rules set within these bylaws Elections 9.4.7.3 Proportional representatives will be voted on at Regional Conventions, the procedures and regulations for which are up to each region. For full clarification on regional conventions, see 6.4 9.4.7.3.1 Regional conventions will be held soon enough for the terms of new proportional representatives to coincide with the terms of representatives covered by (9.4.6.1.1) 9.4.7.3.2. Regional Conventions may elect alternate representatives to the state committee; the central office of the Green-Rainbow Party shall be notified of the results of such elections and said representatives will be recognized by the state committee as bona fide. Regular representatives have seating precedence over alternates, only regular representatives may vote via email, and the delegation's gender balance must be adhered to. 6.4.7.3.2.1 Bylaw 6.4.7.3.2 shall take effect only after a favorable ruling on its legality from the Secretary of State 9.4.7.3.3 Proportional Representatives must be active members of the GRP prior to their election Term Lengths 9.4.7.4 Proportional representatives will serve two, 2-year terms as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1. 9.4.7.4.1 A proportional representatives term will expire sooner than 2 years in the event that their own term would go beyond the term of the representatives covered by (9.4.3.1.3), in which case their term will end on the same day as those representatives. Gender Diversity Requirements 9.4.7.5 Gender diversity requirements exist for all proportional representatives. The requirements are as such: 9.4.7.5.1 ⅓ of the seats shall be reserved for binary men, 9.4.7.5.2 ⅓ of the seats shall be reserved for binary women, 9.4.7.5.3 ⅓ of the seats shall be reserved for any gender identity. 9.4.7.5.4 There must be an equal number of seats reserved for binary men and binary women. If there would be an uneven amount of total available seats such that there would be an unequal proportion of seats for binary men and binary women, then the seats left over are required to be made into seats for any gender identity 9.4.7.5.5 In the event that there are not enough candidates of the specified gender for the binary gender seats, then those seats will remain empty. Caucus Representatives 9.4.8. A number of appointed state committee seats to be known as caucus representation seats (CR seats), shall be created for each identity caucus within the Green-Rainbow Party. Available Seats 9.4.8.1 The total number of CR seats must follow all of the following rules: 9.4.8.1.1 A CR seat will be created for every caucus officially recognized by the Green-Rainbow Party 9.4.8.1.2 additional CR seats will be made available proportional to the amount of active Green-Rainbow party members participating in a caucus, relative to the amount of active Green-Rainbow party members as a whole. For example, if there are 200 active Green-Rainbow Party members, and 100 of them participate in a caucus, then a total of 50 seats will be created to be shared between the caucuses 9.4.8.2. Each identity caucus will get an equal portion of the total number of available CR seats. If every identity caucus has been assigned an equal number of CR seats, and there are still available seats left over, those seats will be granted in order from the identity caucus with the most members, to the identity caucus with the least members Elections 9.4.8.3 Caucus Representatives for a caucus will be voted on by each member of that caucus at a meeting held by that caucus by whatever method the caucus decides on 9.4.8.4 Caucuses Representatives must be active members of the GRP prior to their election Term Lengths 9.4.8.5 Caucus representatives will serve two, 2-year terms as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1. 9.4.8.5.1 A caucus representative's term will expire sooner than 2 years in the event that their own term would go beyond the term of the representatives covered by (9.4.3.2.3), in which case their term will end on the same day as those representatives. 9.4.8.6 Caucuses will hold an election meeting soon enough for the terms of new proportional representatives to coincide with the terms of representatives covered by (9.4.3.2.3) Working Committees 9.5. The state committee may form new working committees or eliminate existing working committees. 10. Administrative Committee 10.1. The administrative committee is a branch of the state committee responsible for the week-to-week administrative functions of the party and must follow the policy set out by the state committee and state convention. The administrative committee shall report its progress and decisions to the state committee. Officers 10.2. The administrative committee shall consist of: three gender inclusive co-chair positions for a binary woman, binary man, and any gender identity, one of which will be considered the primary chair as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1 a treasurer a secretary one representative from each identity caucus one representative from each officially recognized GRP chapter Additional officer positions for working committees as deemed necessary. Election 10.2.1. At a state convention (see 6.3.4), each of the officer positions within AdCom, excluding the chapter and caucus officers which will be elected through separate processes to be determined by the chapters and caucuses themselves, will be elected through Ranked Choice Vote (RCV) 10.2.1.1 There will be separate sections on a single ballot for each officer position, and each section will contain everyone running for that position 10.2.1.2 A GRP member may only be elected to one officer position but may run for up to three positions. 10.2.1.2.1 In the event a candidate wins more than one position, they shall choose the position they desire most and will only be seated for that position 10.2.1.2.1.1 For all other positions that the candidate mentioned in 10.2.1.3.1 won but did not decide to fill, the following process will be applied: if there is only one other available candidate they will be declared the winner. If there are 2 or more candidates, the votes will be recounted and the second most popular candidate will be the winner. Primary Chair 10.2.1.3 A primary chairman is required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52 Section 1. This chairman will be elected in a separate Ranked Choice Vote (RCV) out of the 3 elected co-chairs listed in 10.2. 10.2.1.1 The primary chairman will have the responsibility of facilitating AdCom meetings, unless not present at the meeting or in the case that one of the other two co-chairs decides to take on this role. The chairman will otherwise have no special role or additional authority within AdCom. 10.2.3. Except where restricted by state, federal, or other organization’s laws, any member may be nominated for the administrative committee. 10.2.4 Candidates are not required to be members of the state committee. For the detailed process, refer to the Convention Elections Procedure as established by the state committee in the GRP procedures manual. 10.2.5 Candidates must be active members of the GRP prior to the election Chapter Representatives 10.2.5. The AdCom members elected by chapters shall be selected by whatever means each chapter chooses. 10.2.5.1 The members chosen by the chapters shall be confirmed at the next state committee meeting 10.2.5.2 If an AdCom member is a chair of a chapter, that member can fulfill the dual purpose. 10.2.5.3 If a chapter doesn’t provide a representative, that position remains open until filled. 10.2.5.3.1 Open positions do not count toward quorum. Recall 10.3. The recall of any administrative committee member may take place through the following methods: A ⅔ vote of state committee A ⅔ vote of all active members attending a state convention 10.3.1 A committee member representing a chapter may be recalled by that chapter through whatever mechanism they decide to implement in their own bylaws 10.3.2 A committee member representing a caucus may be recalled by that caucus through whatever mechanism they decide to implement in their own bylaws 10.3.3 The individual being recalled by StateCom or at a state convention cannot vote on the recall proposal Attendance Requirements 10.4. An administrative committee member will be considered to have resigned if they fail to attend four consecutive administrative committee meetings which occur at least a week apart, or if they miss more than eight consecutive meetings regardless of the time in between each meeting. 10.4.1 The administrative committee may not schedule meetings at times that conflict with a particular committee member’s employment schedule more than twice in a row Vacancies 10.5. In the event of a vacancy of an administrative committee member seat that is voted on at a State Convention, the state committee must appoint a Green-Rainbow Party member to temporarily fill the open position. 10.5.1 The new administrative committee member will serve until the next state convention. Officer Duties Co-Chairs 10.4. Duties of the co-chairs shall be to: ● Act as official spokespeople for the Green-Rainbow Party; ● Set the agenda for administrative committee meetings; ● Arrange for facilitation of all state conventions, state committee and administrative committee meetings; ● Notify other administrative committee members and directors of meetings; ● Ensure that other administrative committee members and directors are performing their duties. 10.4.1 The co-chairs may authorize financial expenditures that are not in the budget and have not been approved by the rest of the administrative committee if all three co-chairs agree or if two agree along with the treasurer Treasurer 10.5. Duties of the treasurer shall be to: ● Ensure that the Green-Rainbow Party prepares a yearly budget. ● Record all financial transactions involving the Green-Rainbow Party; ● Present summary financial reports at every administrative committee meeting; ● Present a full financial report at every state committee meeting; ● Present an annual financial report at state conventions; ● File financial and tax reports as required by law; 10.5.1. Treasurer may authorize financial expenditures that are not in the budget and have not been approved by the rest of the administrative committee if two of the co-chairs agree. Secretary 10.6. Duties of the secretary shall be to: ● Ensure that minutes are recorded at all Green-Rainbow Party meetings; ● Distribute minutes to members in a timely manner; ● Keep the Green-rainbow Party Bylaws up-to-date; ● Receive materials and submit them to AdCom for certifying GRP chapters (see 7.3). ● send meeting minutes to all state committee representatives within two weeks of the meeting. Committee Directors Membership Committee Director 10.7. Duties of the membership committee director shall be to: ● Co-chair the membership and diversity working committee; ● Ensure that chapters have assistance with expanding their membership and improving their organizing efforts; ● Ensure that the party’s organizing manual is up-to-date; ● Ensure that the chapters have access to training classes on organizing and membership development; ● Find experienced organizers who will work with chapters to improve their organizing. Fundraising Committee Director 10.8. Duties of the fundraising director shall be to: ● Ensure that the Green-Rainbow Party prepares a fundraising plan with the yearly budget; ● Co-chair the finance and fundraising working committee. ● Ensure that the fundraising plan is executed; ● Ensure that the Green-Rainbow Party meets its fundraising goals; ● Ensure that chapters have assistance with expanding their fundraising efforts; ● Find experienced fundraisers who will work with the state party and chapters to improve their fundraising. Communications Committee Director 10.9. Duties of the communications director shall be to: ● Co-chair the communications and media working committee; ● Ensure that media strategies are developed for state party campaigns; ● Organize the creation of the newsletter, email newsletters and web site; ● Organize a speakers bureau; ● Ensure that relationships are developed with members of the media; ● Ensure that press releases are written and distributed to the media; ● Ensure that chapters have the assistance they need to improve their skills for developing and implementing media strategies. 11. Working Committees 11.1. Working Committees shall serve to engage in the day to day work and activities necessary for the continual function of the party. In conducting their work, working committees shall strive for timely fulfillment of their responsibilities to the Party, an open and welcoming atmosphere for participants, and constructive relationships with other Party entities, and shall actively embrace diversity. 11.2 Working Committees shall meet as often as necessary. 11.3. Working Committees may have as many or as few members as are available.Any member of the Green-Rainbow Party may serve on a committee. No person shall be a regular member of more than two Working Committees. 11.4. working committees may create named subcommittees or task forces. Subcommittees or task forces are assigned to be a part of an existing working committee. Subcommittees and task forces must meet all the same requirements that working committees have. 12. Political Practices 12.1. Accountability to Membership. The Green-Rainbow Party is accountable to its Green-Rainbow chapters. 12.2. Immediate Recall. Clerks, officers, delegates and other representatives of the Green-Rainbow Party shall be recallable. (see 9.4.7 and 10.3) 12.3. Imperative Mandate. Representatives and delegates of the Green-Rainbow Party may express personal opinions, but must act and vote within the guidelines agreed on by the Green-Rainbow Party. 12.4. Minority Opinions. Significant minority opinions within the Green-Rainbow Party will be recorded and communicated to other national and regional Green organizations as appropriate. 12.5. Affirmative Action. The Green-Rainbow Party is committed to encouraging participation by all Massachusetts residents. Every measure shall be taken to insure that no person shall be abridged of the right to participate on the basis of gender, religion, race, creed, physical ability, economics, or sexual orientation. 12.6. Freedom of Information. Meetings and records of finances, membership, and minutes of the Green-Rainbow Party shall be open to inspection by any member of the Green-Rainbow Party in good standing. 12.6.1 Green-Rainbow Party meetings may be closed to non members on 75% vote in personnel or criminal matters or if required by law. (see 5.7) 12.7. Strategic Diversity. A Full range of nonviolent strategies and tactics shall be considered permissible and desirable in pursuing Green-Rainbow social change, such as rallies, demonstrations, boycotts, citizens initiatives, civil disobedience, direct action, building alternative institutions, and/or electoral politics. 12.8. The Green-Rainbow Party affirms its agreement with the Ten Key Values of the USGP. 13. Candidate Nomination and Endorsement Policy 13.1. The word “nomination” is used when the candidate will appear on the ballot under the Green-Rainbow Party designation. The word “endorsement” is used in all other cases. 13.1.1. The Green-Rainbow Party may nominate or endorse candidates for local, regional, state, and national offices. 13.1.1.1 Chapters may approve their own nominations/endorsements for district races that are wholly or partially within their regions. 13.1.1.2 Only the state committee and/or the state convention shall make nominations and/or endorsements for state constitutional offices or federal offices. 13.1.1.2.1. Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates nominated for office by the national nominating convention of the Green Party of the United States shall be considered to have received the nomination of the Green-Rainbow Party without the need for additional action under this Section. 13.1.1.3 Public communications regarding a local GRP endorsement shall clearly identify the local body making the endorsement so that such endorsement is not confused with a state party-level endorsement. Seeking Nomination/Endorsement 13.2. An application for nomination/endorsement may be approved at the state convention or at any state committee meeting of the Green-Rainbow Party. 13.2.1 The effective date of the nomination/endorsement may be made contingent upon some action or determination specified by the endorsing body. 13.2.2. To receive a nomination/endorsement, the following requirements shall be met: 13.2.2.1 The candidate shall have sent written notice to the Party Co-Chairs and the GRP office email address of her/his intention to seek a nomination/endorsement at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which the application is to be considered. 12.2.2.1.1 Party Co-Chairs shall promptly place the notice on the chapters listserv, the state committee business listserv, and the Candidate Development and Legal Committee (CDLC) listserv. 13.2.2.2 The candidate shall complete any standard application form required by the CDLC and submit this form to the designated email addresses at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which the endorsement is to be considered. 13.2.2.3 The candidate shall agree to comply with any mandatory requirements imposed generally upon candidates by the Party, providing such requirements are in effect on the date the application is approved. 13.2.3. At the meeting considering the application, the general discussion period shall be preceded by: Any report on the application from the CDLC A statement by the candidate or their designated representative regarding the application. 13.2.4. The state committee may, by a two-thirds vote, withdraw a nomination/endorsement on grounds that the candidate has clearly violated requirements for holding such a nomination/endorsement or that continuation of the nomination/endorsement would inflict significant harm upon the Party. 14. Legal Requirements for Consideration as a Political Party 14.1. The Green-Rainbow Party recognizes that its internal structure may not always coincide with the traditional hierarchical structures evidenced in other political parties and organizations.As required by local, state, or federal law, the Green-Rainbow Party will create committees and/or organizations that comply with any and all necessary legal requirements for ballot access, elections, fund raising, voter registration, etc. These committees and/or organizations will always remain subject to Article 5 of this document, but may be allowed limited autonomy as specified by the Green-Rainbow Party. 14.2. The Green-Rainbow Party will seek and maintain statewide ballot access as allowed by state law. This will include, but is not limited to, running candidates for local, regional, state, and federal offices in order to gain and retain ballot access. The Green-Rainbow Party will also reserve the right to exercise legal action (i.e. lawsuits, amici curiae, etc.) as necessary where ballot access or electoral laws are determined to be unduly restrictive or not in accordance with democratic principles. 14.3. Candidates representing themselves as " Green-Rainbow" candidates or " Green-Rainbow Party" candidates must be approved through the Green-Rainbow Party nomination process as described in Article 12. The Green-Rainbow Party will utilize all legal means to prevent such self-description by persons who have not been approved through this process. 14.4. The constituency of the Green-Rainbow Party will be defined as the body of individuals who are members and in accordance with our principles and Bylaws. 15. Other GPUS Organizations 15.1. The Green-Rainbow Party is an affiliated state party of the Green Party of the United States (referred to as GPUS). 15.1.1 The Green-Rainbow Party may by any of its regular decision-making processes, decide to affiliate or disaffiliate itself with national, regional, issue-based, or identity based Green membership organizations. 15.1.2 The Green-Rainbow Party shall encourage its membership to become involved with and donate to the GPUSs. 15.1.3. Decisions and rules of the USGP, other Green state parties, or any other Green organizations will in no way be considered binding upon the Green-Rainbow Party Representatives 15.2 The Green-Rainbow Party shall seek representation to the GPUS or any other Green Party organizations with which it affiliates itself with 15.2.1. The selection of Green-Rainbow Party representatives to the GPUS and other organizations shall take place at a state convention using the procedures defined in Article 5. 15.2.2 Representation within the GPU will be in accordance with the GPUS Bylaws 15.2.2.1 The GRP shall choose its delegates from among Green-Rainbow Party members to serve as GRP representatives to the GPUS coordinating committee according to the rules defined in Article 5. 15.2.3 Representation within organizations other than the GPUS will be in accordance with the bylaws of those organizations 15.2.3.1 The GRP shall choose its delegates from among Green-Rainbow Party members to serve as GRP representatives to the GPUS coordinating committee according to the rules defined in Article 5. Duties 15.2.4 The duties of delegates will be: ● Attend meetings of the organization ● Send to the entire state committee in a timely manner: ○ any proposals put forward for comment ○ how the delegate voted on proposals ○ the minutes from all meetings of the organization Term Lengths & Limits 15.2.5 Representatives shall serve for a term of one year, and may not serve more than two consecutive terms as representatives to that organization. Alternates 15.2.6 If the organization to which the GRP belongs allows it, the GRP may elect alternate delegates. 15.2.6.1 An alternate may vote in the event that a delegate is not able to vote or chooses to let the alternate vote in their place. 15.2.6.1.1 An alternate may not vote in order to override a delegate’s abstention. Gender Requirements 15.2.7 The GRP shall reserve a portion of its GPUS delegate seats based on gender identity 15.2.7.1 ⅓ of the available seats will be reserved for binary women 15.2.7.2 ⅓ of the available seats will be reserved for binary men 15.2.7.3 ⅓ of the available seats will be reserved for any gender identity 15.2.7.4 In the case that there are not enough seats left to be equally apportioned to each gender identity, they will be apportioned based on the following rules 15.2.7.4.1 If there is 1 extra seat, it will be reserved for a person of any gender identity 15.2.7.4.2 If there are 2 extra seats, 1 seat will be reserved for any gender identity, and 1 seat will be reserved for a binary woman. Recall 15.2.8. The recall of a delegate may take place through the following methods: A ⅔ Majority vote of the state committee representatives present at any state committee meeting. A ⅔ majority vote of all GRP members present at a state convention 15.2.8.1 The Delegate being recalled will not be allowed to vote on their own recall Interim Delegates 15.2.9 If delegate or alternate seats are vacant, whether due to resignation, recall, the failure of a convention to fill all vacant seats, or the creation of new seats by the GPUS or another organization, the state committee may elect interim delegates and/or alternates to fill these vacancies between state conventions. . 15.2.9.1 This election can take place at any state committee meeting with the new delegate serving until the next state convention. 16. Amending the Bylaws State Convention Amendments 16.1. Any part of these Bylaws may be amended at a state convention of the Green-Rainbow Party through a consensus seeking process, or, failing this, a vote of 2/3 of the membership attending said Congress. State Committee Amendments 16.2. The state committee may amend the Bylaws by a vote of 75%. 16.2.1 Amendment made in this way can be repealed through the following methods: A majority vote at a state convention A 2/3 vote of the recognized Green-Rainbow chapters, although this method cannot be used to override a Bylaws change or decision of a state convention. 16.2.2. The state committee shall be prohibited from amending the Bylaws in any way, shape, or form during the period of time extending from the date that Senatorial Representatives elected per Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52, Section 1, take office up until the appointment of all other StateCom positions by those representatives during the first StateCom meeting following their election (see 9.3.4) 17. Execution of Papers 17.1. Except as the Board of Directors (administrative committee) may generally or in particular cases authorize in some manner the execution thereof, all deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds, notes, checks, drafts and other obligations made, accepted or endorsed by the corporation shall be signed by the president (co-chairs) or by the treasurer, and shall have been approved through a process of consensus or through a 2/3 vote of the state committee, with a quorum present. 18. Indemnification of Members, Directors, Officers, Employees and Other Agents 18.1. Right to Indemnification. The corporation shall indemnify and reimburse out of the corporate funds any person who at any time serves or shall have served as a member of the Board of Directors (administrative committee), officer, employee or other agent of the corporation, or who shall have served at its request, against any all claims and liabilities to which s/ he may be or become subject by reason of such service, and against and for any and all expenses necessarily incurred in connection with the defense or reasonable settlement of any legal or administrative proceedings to which s/he is made party by reason of such service, except with respect to any matter as to which s/he shall have been adjudicated in any proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interest of the corporation. 18.2. Insurance. The corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a member of the Board of Directors (administrative committee), officer, employee, or other agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation, against any liability incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him/her against such liability. 19. Corporate Records 19.1. The original or attested copies of the Articles of Organization, Bylaws, and records of all meetings of the incorporators and members, the names and addresses of all members shall be kept at the corporation's principal office or at any office of the secretary or of the counsel to the corporation. Said copies and records shall be open to inspection by any member of the corporation during regular business hours. 20. Corporate Powers The corporation shall have the following powers in furtherance of its corporate purposes: 20.1. The corporation shall have perpetual succession in its corporate name. 19.2. The corporation may sue and be sued. 20.3. The corporation may have a corporate seal that it may alter at pleasure. 20.4. The corporation may elect or appoint directors, officers, employees, and other agents, fix their compensation and define their duties and obligations. 20.5. The corporation may purchase, receive or take by grant, gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use and otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated, in an unlimited amount. 20.6. The corporation may solicit and receive contributions from any and all sources and may receive and hold, in trust or otherwise, funds received by gift or bequest. 20.7. The corporation may sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or mortgage, pledge, encumber or create a security interest in, all or any of its property, or any interest therein, wherever situated. 20.8. The corporation may purchase, take, receive, subscribe for, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, vote, employ, sell, lend, lease, exchange, transfer, or otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, use and otherwise deal in and with, bonds and other obligations, shares, or other securities or interests issued by others, whether engaged in similar or different business, governmental, or other activities. 20.9. The corporation may make contracts. 20.10. The corporation may lend money provided any interest charged is equal only to administrative costs of developing and carrying the loan. 20.11. The corporation may do business, carry on its operations, and have offices and exercise the powers granted by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 180, in any jurisdiction within or without the United States, although the corporation shall not be operated for the primary purpose of carrying on for profit a trade or business unrelated to its tax exempt purposes. 20.12. The corporation may pay pensions, establish and carry out pensions, savings, thrift and other retirement and benefit plans, trusts and provisions for any or all of its directors, officers and employees. 20.13. The corporation may make donations in such amounts as the members or directors shall determine, irrespective of corporate benefit, for the public welfare or for the community fund, hospital, charitable, religious, educational, scientific, civic, or similar purposes. 20.14. The corporation may be an incorporator of other corporations of any type or kind. 20.15. The corporation may be a partner in any business enterprise that it would have power to conduct by itself. 20.16. The directors may make, amend or repeal the Bylaws in whole or in part, except with respect to any provision thereof which by law or the Bylaws requires action by the members. 20.17. Meetings of the members must be held in the state of Massachusetts. 20.18. No person shall be disqualified from holding any office by reasons of any interest. In the absence of fraud, any director, officer, or member of this corporation individually, or any individual having any interest in any concern in which any such directors, officers, members, or individuals have any interest, may be a party to, or may be pecuniary or otherwise interested in, any contract, transaction, or other act of this corporation, and ● Such contract, transaction, or act shall not be in any way invalidated or otherwise affected by the fact; ● No such director, officer, member, or individual shall be liable to account to this corporation for any profit or benefit realized through any such contract, transaction, or act; and ● Any such director of this corporation may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any meeting of the directors or of any committee thereof which shall authorize any such contract, transaction, or act, and may vote to authorize the same; The term 'interest' including personal interest and interest as a director, officer, shareholder, trustee, member of beneficiary of any concern; the term 'concern' meaning any corporation, association, trust, partnership, firm, person, or other entity other than this corporation. 20.19. No part of the assets of the corporation and no part of any net earnings of the corporation shall be divided among or inure to the benefit of any officer or director of the corporation or any private individual or be appropriated for any purposes other than the purposes of the corporation as herein set forth. 20.20. Upon the liquidation or dissolution of the corporation after payment of all the liabilities of the corporation or due provision thereof, all of the assets of the corporation shall be disposed of to one or more organizations exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 21. Consensus Seeking Process Time Extensions 21.1 In the following process the default time periods for general discussion and individual speaking can be altered at the discretion of the meeting facilitators who can consider the complexity of the proposal, its importance, and the time available on the meeting agenda. 21.1.1 Extensions of discussion time can be affected by a straw poll vote of the state committee. 21.1.1.1 A straw poll for a time extension will be considered to have passed if it gets a majority vote in agreement for the extension 21.1.2 A person who is allocated time may yield any portion of their time to another speaker. Proposal Presentation 21.2 The sponsors of a proposal shall select a single person to present the proposal as written, along with any background information they think are pertinent during the floor discussion. 21.2.1 The default time for presenting a proposal is 5 minutes. 21.2.1.1 Any working committee that has reviewed the proposal and approved a statement on it is given an additional 1 minute each to summarize their findings or recommendations. 21.2.2 At any time, the sponsors of a proposal can withdraw the proposal from consideration. Proposal Discussion 21.3 This period allows for clarifying questions, statements supporting the proposal, statements of concern with the proposal, attempts to address concerns, and encouragement to those with a concern to propose an amendment. 21.3.1 An initial period of 15 minutes is allocated to a proposal for discussion and can be extended by a majority straw poll (see 21.1.1). 21.3.1.1 Speakers are limited to 2 minutes, and must wait until the stack is empty before they get back on. 21.3.1.2 Whenever possible, facilitators should balance the stack according to gender, race, and the amount of time a person has already spoken. 21.3.1.3 After any speaker, the facilitators may, at their discretion, recognize the lead sponsor of the proposal to give a reply or clarification. Call for Consensus 21.4 The facilitators ask the lead sponsor to restate the original proposal and then ask, “Does anyone have concerns that stand in the way of consensus?” 21.4.1 Those who answer “yes,” are asked to state their concerns and are asked: whether they have amendments to propose if not, whether they will stand aside. 21.4.1.1 If those with concerns stand aside, the facilitators state, “The proposal passes by consensus.” Presentation and Amendments 21.5 If a proposal has not passed by consensus (see 21.4), amendments sponsored by at least 2 StateCom members are considered in this period as an effort to address concerns and reach consensus. 21.5.1 At any time, the sponsors of an amendment can withdraw the amendment from consideration. 21.5.2 One of the amendment sponsors provides a written copy of the amendment to the facilitators, states their amendment, and has 1 minute to explain it. 21.5.2.1 The proposal sponsors have 1 minute to express their opinion of the amendment. 21.5.3 After hearing all of the proposed amendments, there is a 10-minute discussion period which cannot be extended 21.5.3.1 At the end of this period, the meeting facilitators decide upon the order in which amendments will be taken up, and proceed with an up-or-down vote on each one. 21.5.3.1.1 An amendment must receive a 2/3 majority in order to pass. 21.5.4 After all amendments have been considered, if any amendment has been adopted, the facilitators may, at their discretion, recognize the lead sponsor for a 1-minute statement on the amended proposal. Second Call for Consensus 21.6 The facilitators must restate the proposal as amended. 21.6.1 The facilitators then ask, " Does anyone have concerns that stand in the way of consensus?" 21.6.1.1 If anyone answers “yes,” they are asked by the facilitator whether they are willing to stand aside. 21.6.1.1.1 If yes, the facilitators state, "The amended proposal passes by consensus." 21.6.1.1.2 If no, the proposal drops to a vote. 21.6.1.2 If no one has any issues with the amended proposal, the facilitators state, "The amended proposal passes by consensus." Vote (No consensus) 21.7 The facilitators ask for a show of hands in favor of the final proposal, as amended. Then for a show of hands opposed, and then for abstentions. 21.7.1 The vote is tallied:A 2/3 majority of the votes cast (minus abstentions) is required for the final proposal to pass. Addendum A: Additional Green-Rainbow Party documents and Procedures State Convention Rules & Procedures: Click here State Committee Standing Rules: Click here Addendum B: Regions to Elect State Committee Proportional Representatives Each governor’s council district within Massachusetts is designated as a region for the purpose or proportional representative seats Green-Rainbow Party Bylaws Modifications History Modified to address becoming official party ratified by state convention 6/3/2001. Modified by the state committee on 3/23/2002, with changes ratified by convention 4/27/2002. Modified by the state committee on 9/21/2002. Modified by the state committee on 1/11/2003. Modified by the Bylaw 1.3 from party name change on 2/21/2003. Modified by the state committee on 3/30/2003. Modified by the state committee on 11/16/2003. Section 9.3 modified. Modified by the state committee on 1/11/2004. Section 8.5.6 and 15.3 added. Section 6.7 modified. Modified by the state committee on 4/10/2004. Section 8.2 modified. Modified by the state committee on 7/18/2004. Sections 9.2 and 9.17 modified. Sections 8.5.2 and 8.5.3 modified. Modified by the state committee on 4/16/2005. Sections 8.7.1 through 8.7.4 added. Modified by the state committee on 6/5/2005. Sections 8.1 and 8.4 changed, 8.5.6 renumbered to 8.5.7 and a new 8.5.6 added, and all references to state committee “delegates” changed to “representatives”. Modified by the state committee on 8/6//2006. Section 10.4 added. Modified by the state committee on 11/17/2007. Sections 10.1 through 10.3 modified. Modified by the state committee on 1/27/2008. Section 8.5.8 added. NOTE: This has not been updated. Nor is it part of the official Bylaws, though it is useful to have. Modified by the State Committee on 01/26/2019. IMPLEMENTATION: Procedures committee will be responsible for understanding and explaining the new processes in the bylaws to everyone Mass Young Greens will need to switch from being a chapter to being a caucus as per the new definitions within the bylaws PR regions and Caucuses may now elect representatives to StateCom at will so long as they have the available seats, and StateCom will need to be ready to elect them at their next meeting as per 8.5.7 (now 9.3.1) of the bylaws AdCom will need to be made aware that committee officers voted into AdCom at State Convention now have voting rights within the committee AdCom will have to create a third co-chair seat for any gender identity, and that seat must remain empty until the following State Convention Chapters and Caucuses will now need to keep track of the number of active members they have and who they are, and report that information to the GRP Secretary after every meeting along with their minutes. The GRP Secretary will keep an up-to-date list of all active GRP members based on the lists received from the chapters/caucuses FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None References and Attachments: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQDJKc_O4b8FF2iMX7KbyLgZXM6iemLW7IUCDk5dlURE2Kr1qCHBNhnhwyKGS15xQO4wYfrZ-MehDB9/pub The above is a document that outlines some of the major changes, though not every single detail is covered due to the scale of the proposed amendments. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vR3hZ6VUPtBEwsqmd7YSNbcw5l9dNwErq1LC3bIEM6kSgsYzsP4K_iEpBugx-1EBeuNx7cmsRH8Uqyq/pub The above document is the formatted version of this proposal https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRtevrlzfYxRdeO4w_nkgaYv4MBT17KxOsb2jeMeTpRB2Cqs-A9_qGWAq3H0N_Gu-756icbJo_QPYoc/pub The above document is the formatted version of the proposed bylaws